St. Marguerite d'Youville Employee Awards

In 1995, the St. Marguerite d'Youville awards were established to recognize four employees who consistently support and live the organization's values of compassion, excellence, stewardship, and respect. Nominations for the award are made by anyone in the organization and the list of nominees are reviewed by the Mission Advisory committee, a small, diverse group of employees committed to the mission.

The awards are presented at a special Mass that is held every year during Mission Week in October. It is an event that coincides with the Feast day of St. Marguerite d'Youville.

Deb received multiple nominations for the value of respect this year, mostly because of the way she exhibits “grace under pressure.” Deb is always willing to work towards the goals of the organization and goes above and beyond to ensure that people are treated with dignity. She is a true team player, understanding that we need to work together in these times when we are all stretched thin. Not only does she respect people, but she respects project deadlines and end goals as well. One nominator noted that in five years of working with Deb, she has never heard her say a bad word about anyone. Another nominator claimed, “She is a true daughter of Marguerite d’Youville.”

DEBORAH O'BRIEN

COMPASSION

Joe’s colleagues say that he is easily the most compassionate person they know-the kind of person who goes out of his way to help the less fortunate every day. Joe’s role within St. Mary’s is to make sure that our food pantry is stocked with food so that clients can leave with a full box of food. He takes this commitment very seriously, even coming in on his day off to bring in food if supplies run too low, Joe goes beyond what is expected of him-helping people get their food home or even moving furniture for people (not part of his job at the Food Pantry.) Joe is a behind the scenes worker but Marguerite d’Youville’s mission lives on because of people like Joe. He is incredibly humble. He makes everyone laugh, staff, clients and volunteers alike.

JOE FOOTER

EXCELLENCE

Gaetane is an environmental services worker on one of our behavioral units. She treats this unit as if it was her home, cleaning with the utmost care and paying careful attention to all aspects of cleanliness. She takes pride in her work and it shows: You can look into a room and tell if she is the person who made the bed. Gaetane creates a comfortable environment for everyone by being meticulous in her work. Besides providing excellent housekeeping skills, Gaetane will help anyone, anytime, without questions and with a smile on her face. She offers a kind ear to patients, treating them with dignity and respect. She is also an asset to the team, sharing patient concerns that help the treatment team to shape an approach to care.

GAETANE GURNEY

STEWARDSHIP

Marc is the Director of our Pharmacy and has been with St. Mary’s for over 42 years. The line between patient-centered care and good stewardship (budget-minded leadership) is narrow and delicate. Marc walks this line carefully, committed to save every dollar possible while staying faithfully on the side of respect and compassion for every patient, regardless of their ability to pay. Besides taking good care of financial resources, Marc also embraces environmental stewardship such as recycling and waste disposal. Marc also takes good care of human resources-his staff. He is an approachable, caring leader and works patiently with staff to find a solution or offer support. As one colleague wrote in a prior nomination, “He quietly and humbly walks the St. Mary’s talk.”